Speaking during a press conference in Doha Turkish FM Hakan Fidan made comments about the ousting of the Assad regime in war-torn Syria and stressed: “Türkiye places great importance on Syria‘s national unity, sovereignty, territorial integrity.”
Turkish top diplomat Hakan Fidan said on Sunday that Syria’s new administration must be inclusive because Syrian people would now determine their own future, after the ousting of regime head Bashar al-Assad by the Syrian opposition.
Syrian anti-regime groups declared Assad’s ouster after seizing control of Damascus on Sunday, ending his family’s iron-fisted rule after more than 13 years of civil war in a seismic moment for the Middle East.
In a press conference in Doha, Fidan said Syrian people were not in a position to rebuild on their own and that international actors and regional powers had to act with prudence and preserve its territorial integrity, warning that terrorist organisations must not be allowed to take advantage of the situation.
Asked about the whereabouts of Assad, Fidan said he could not comment on the issue but that he believed he was out of the country. He also said Ankara had no contact with Assad despite a call from Erdoğan to hold normalisation talks.
Here are the key points from Fidan’s remarks:
“Türkiye is calling on all actors to act with prudence; everyone must remain watchful.
In wake of developments in Syria, Türkiye calls on all actors in region, elsewhere to act calmly, carefully, as region must not be dragged into further instability.
A new Syrian administration must be established inclusively, without any desire for revenge.
Syria has reached a stage where the Syrian people will shape the future of their own country. Today, there is hope.
Türkiye will continue to work with Syria’s new administration, using everything it has to rebuild the country together with its neighbours.
Millions of Syrians who had to leave their country can now return
We need to work with the Syrian people to ensure a smooth transition.
State institutions should be preserved, opposition groups must unite, and we will work for stability and safety in Syria.
Terrorist organizations must not be allowed to take advantage of this situation.
The period of calm in Syria should have been used by the Syrian government to pave the way for a political process.”